Sites demand payback for Blake

FACEBOOK users are demanding vigilante justice be dealt to those who bullied and attacked flood survivor Blake Rice.

Several pages have been created on the social network site to condemn the actions of the bullies who allegedly left the 10-year-old with a dislocated collarbone and went on to create the Facebook page “We bashed Blake Rice”.

Many of them are calling for those responsible to be “bashed” and run out of Toowoomba.

But Toowoomba Police Superintendent Andy Morrow has warned against such actions, urging those on Facebook to allow the police investigation to run its course.

“That is the means by which this matter should be resolved,” he said.

“For anybody to engage in vigilante behaviour without being acquainted with all the facts and circumstances – and identities of those involved – would be simply committing a criminal act and would be most unwise.”

Superintendent Morrow said the investigation was progressing well with several suspects identified.

The attack on Blake was prompted by the attention he had received since his mother Donna and brother Jordan were swept to their deaths in January’s flash flood.

Some of the pages, like “Give me five minutes with the cowards that bashed Blake Rice”, encourage vigilante justice against the gang of teenagers that more than a fortnight ago targeted the youngster at a Toowoomba skate park.

A member of that page wrote: “Those bullies better watch out.

“If I find out who they are, I’m going to get a mob and go to court.

“Blake doesn’t deserve to deal with all this.”

The page “Let’s bash those who bashed Blake Rice” has attracted more than 3000 members.

Some of those members have demanded a “bullet in the head” of those responsible who they will “come after one by one”.

“Those scumbags will get theirs you bunch of cowards,” one member wrote.

Another comment read: “Come around to my place and I’ll give you a taste of what you gave poor Blake”.

Blake’s father John Tyson told The Chronicle he understood “people made mistakes”.

Mr Tyson said he just wanted to sit down with those responsible “one on one” and discuss with them the consequences of their actions.

One of the Facebook pages feature comments posted by Blake in which three of the so-called bullies are identified as Liam, Corey and Anthony.

There are claims on Facebook that revenge has already been taken on one of those responsible.